Vehicular homicide trial opens

CANON CITY — Opening arguments marked the trial of a local woman suspected of vehicular homicide and fleeing the scene in connection with the death of a bicyclist.

Natalie D. Habig, 35, of Canon City, is charged with vehicular homicide, leaving the scene of an accident involving death and criminally negligent homicide. She is accused of turning in front of bicyclist Kyle Keefe, 49, of Canon City, Sept. 25, 2012, as she turned right onto Leslie Lane from Field Avenue.

Keefe, who was traveling in the same direction, struck the rear of Habig’s truck and fell to the ground. He suffered massive head injuries and was pronounced dead a day later at a Colorado Springs hospital.

“Three eyewitnesses all happened to be at that intersection,” said Deputy District Attorney Sarah Oszczakiewicz, pointing out that witnesses reported hearing screeching tires and said Habig was speeding.

Defense attorney Brad Laybourne said, “In her whole life (Habig) only had one ticket before this.” He said a defense expert will testify that “she wasn’t speeding and it is entirely probable she did not know about the accident.”

Laybourne showed video of the crash obtained from a business. The video showed that “he glanced off the back bumper and it was a very minor accident — a freak thing. There was no damage to the bike,” Laybourne said.

“This case is about what the defendant chose to do and should have been aware of a very serious danger. We ask you to find her guilty,” Oszczakiewicz said.

Keefe’s sister, Erin Keefe-Feinner of Larkspur, testified that her brother lived in Canon City for 20 years and was an independent contractor who had once worked for Pueblo County as a computer programer.

The victim’s sister said Keefe told her that he had changed his route from a ride between Canon City to the Royal Gorge Bridge on U.S. 50 because, “There were too many cars going too fast. He was very aware he was vulnerable on the bicycle,” Keefe-Feinner said.

She also testified that she didn’t know why Keefe was not wearing a helmet that day because she said he usually did.